Swirling Consequences: Conclusion

[voidtreckermods]

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SWIRLING CONSEQUENCES: CONCLUSION

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A week is a long time to be trudging across a world, helping dralites and people, closing voidtears and fighting chinchillas. But a week it has been. Most of the farmers have gotten used to having the voidtreckers around, and a friendly rapport flows between those helping out gathering and looking after the animals.

Most of the farm animals have been relocated and returned to their farms. Parts of the enclosures are still in need of repair, but there have also been efforts to improve farm perimeters with electric fencing. The farmers are still getting to grips with that, and many are busy rebuilding small outhouses or pens that were damaged in all the chaos.

Aid has trickled through to the further away communities, and the communities have rallied to support the displaced people who didn't manage to be returned home. They are a welcoming bunch, many of the farmers come from families brought from other worlds after all.

Around the mountain of Ciyesia, things are calming. The dralite have finally relocated their young, and though there are repairs needed here too to the nesting grounds, the screeching has finally quietened, and the forests are still.

Towards the afternoon of the thirteenth day of the month of Quicksand, the voidtrecker's SCAs glow with the colours of the void. The same purple and blue skinned woman as before sits behind the same wooden desk. She looks a little less stern this time.

"Thank you Voidtreckers, your efforts have been noteworthy. Things are stabilising, and from all monitoring reports, you have successfully dealt with the void twisted creatures that managed to slip through into system #5739. It looks like the tears in the void have also been patched; we will send some experts in to finish off, but they will hold until we get a team there.

The wider mission has also been a success. The ripples have been neutralised for now. We thank you for your efforts. If you could please fill in the report form sent to your SCA's and submit them for our mission audit team, that would be very helpful for us.

We would like to remind you that risky experimentation such as your untethering attempts are best done by trained professionals. We understand you were not fully in control of the situation, and so no action is being taken by the Inspection arm at this time. However, in more positive news, we have managed to gather data from the scene of that incident and our void scientists are currently working on a further understanding of your tethers.

We will be in touch."

After the video ends, there are a few hours for everyone to finish up their tasks, to say goodbye to any new friends- people or animals -before boarding the train once more. The train meets them at the platform in the woods it deposited them at, the doors opening so the weary voidtreckers can board once more.

The train leads them through the woods, further along the hillside before it rises into the air, flying up into a sky streaked with faint lines of colour. And then there's a shudder, and the world outside the windows is replaced with the kaleidoscope imagery of the void once more.

Comments

[invigorates]

"Of course." She patted his arm with her free hand, letting it rest there afterwards. Lioriley was not confident in her strength that she could promise to catch him if he fell - but she could at least make an attempt to brace him on the off chance his exhaustion finally caught up with him before they made it across the train. He didn't look dead on his feet, but he certainly didn't look well. And she had seen him earlier when he was carted back to the Inn - there was no way a simple meal and a sit-down had cured that.

"I am glad you found your time there so fulfilling." Even if he had clearly gone a bit overboard. He had still done a great service for the people. "Do you enjoy doing such work alone? I noticed since your arrival you do spend much time on your own - not that that is bad, or course. I am simply curious to your preferences, and if it would be too bold of me to offer to join with you for longer than a few hours next we venture out." Is it so she can keep an eye on him to make sure there's no repeat of this mission? Maybe. Partially.

[redprayer]

It’s been a while since he’s had anyone outright cling to him like this. Except maybe for that one goat that was trying to eat his hoodie earlier this week. This is much more tolerable, however.

…Rezo reminds himself that he should not get too involved with this woman, and visibly hesitates as he tries to find a way to discourage her without being rude.

“I am not sure that would be wise,” he says gently. “Although I am flattered by the offer.” But he doesn’t want to become overly reliant on her, and he does not want her to be caught up in the mess if anything goes terribly wrong with his own situation. And, well, he can be bossy and self-centered, which doesn’t mesh well with proper partnership.

[invigorates]

Lioriley would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed by the answer. But given her earlier mentioned observations, she couldn't say she was entirely surprised? He seemed inclined toward solo ventures, which wasn't bad, so much as it would give her less chance to keep an eye on him.

"I understand." She didn't, because he hadn't elaborated as to why it wouldn't be wise, but she could take a hint. Hopefully, his desire to go about such things alone only extended to missions and more adventurous work. And with any luck, maybe he would make some exceptions. "I am used to working with others." She decided to explain, "back home, when I would adventure through the world, I always found myself with a group of friends. But I understand that some are not inclined toward such arrangements."

[redprayer]

Rezo smiles, placating. “I’m sure there are plenty on board the train who would be more than happy to accompany you,” he says. But despite his best attempts to sound cheerful, those words sound dismissive even to his ears.

Still, he does hope that she is able to find- or already has- a group of friends here. It will surely make it much easier for her to forget about him if she does.

[invigorates]

He wasn't trying to be malicious, she told herself. He just had a preference for doing things by himself and that was fine. But why did she have to keep telling herself it was fine? Why did it feel like he had essentially told her he didn't want to spend time with her when it clearly wasn't true? Or maybe she had read the whole situation wrong. Maybe he was just being nice.

Her fingers flexed on his arm as she struggled to decide whether she wanted to pull away or cling tighter, ultimately remaining right in the middle with her hand eventually resting again. She was not smiling - and she was glad he couldn't see it.

"Of course." She hadn't really heard what he said, honestly; too lost in thought as she was. "Do forgive me for being too insistent that we stick together." She hadn't been - but she sure felt like she had, so apologizing seemed appropriate.

[redprayer]

“There isn’t really anything to forgive,” Rezo says, which is probably only adding to the mixed messages that this poor woman is receiving.

He’s confusing even himself at this point; talking and working with her is, half the time, something pleasant that leaves him feeling light and pleased and reluctant to leave her side; and yet there are moments where his chest tightens and his heart grows heavy and he wonders what he’s even doing, spending time with her like this.

As he’s pondering this, he’s hit by a wave of dizziness and he has to pause to lean heavily on his staff. It’s only a brief moment before he regains his equilibrium but it is a definite warning sign that he’s not in a fit state to be brooding, or doing much of anything.

“My apologies,” he says. “I hope I didn’t startle you.”

[invigorates]

It certainly wasn't helping. Luckily (?) her own rambling thoughts and array of confusing feelings were quickly forgotten the moment she felt his weight shift. Any hesitation to cling tighter to him was gone, and she grasped his arm and shifted her weight, ready to help lower him to the ground if he started to fall and pray she could ease him instead of just sending them both careening down.

"I would be lying if I said you did not." She said, huffing out a shaky, nervous laugh, still gripping him tight. "The next transgate is not far. Will you be able to make it, or should I find someone a bit stronger to aid you along the way?"

[redprayer]

If it weren’t for the fact that his right hand was gripping his staff while his left hand was at too awkward an angle for it from Lioriley clinging to his arm, Rezo might very well have clung right back.

“I can make it,” he says, trying to hide the note of panic in his voice at the thought of Lioriley arranging someone to carry him back to his cabin. If Lioriley is observant, and chooses to look up, she may notice the way the tips of his ears turn pink. “It was just a touch of dizziness. We’ll move slowly, in case it happens again.”

While his own well-being doesn’t concern Rezo enough not to press himself, the embarrassing fact he’s had at least two separate people help him stay upright over the course of the afternoon and evening may prove an effective future deterrent against pushing his limits.

[invigorates]

If she did notice (she did), Lioriley was polite enough to not mention it, and sort of chalked it up to the fact that he was so fatigued. He wasn't well, that much was already abundantly clear, so it made sense he would be showing physical signs of his distress.

"You can lean on me, if you need to." She couldn't carry or drag him, but she had supported Elidibus with some effort, and that man was significantly more muscular than Rezo — though about the same height. So long as he didn't outright fall on her, she would be able to power through it. "We should not have risked skipping that first transgate. I do apologize — I have quite the bias for both your company and not using such means of travel."

[redprayer]

It seems Lioriley is fated to haul around oversized men. Nevertheless, Rezo is going to resist leaning on her as much as possible, which isn’t too difficult with the dizziness momentarily abated. (Though it nearly comes back when he shakes his head in response to her apology.)

Conversation may make this easier. “Why do you dislike using the transgates?” he asks.

He resists the urge to also ask her what exactly it is about his company that causes a bias in favor of it.

[invigorates]

"The technology is unfamiliar, and moving through them feels...odd." Something about it seemed off to her. "I simply much prefer to walk."

She would suffer the uneasiness to help him when the time came, however. She assumed as much was obvious. "Perhaps I am just unused to the strangeness of moving so quickly. Do you have such things where you are from?"

i ASSUME you have to specify your destination, i'm too lazy to research how they work rn

[redprayer]

“Teleportation magic is rare, but not unheard of,” he replies. Or at least, it’s not unheard of if you’re an aged sorcerer who studies every scrap of magic he can get his hands on. “Not that the transgates are powered by magical energy, apparently, but the principle is similar. If anything, I’m surprised these are utilized for such a mundane purpose.”

When they reach the nearest transgate, Rezo will gently disentangle himself from Lioriley’s arm long enough to set the destination for the sleeper car next to the one where his cabin is, but then he’ll hold out his hand for her to take before they step through.

Since she isn’t comfortable with the transgates, after all.

its how it works now

[invigorates]

"Were it magic, I would be slightly less hesitant. Thaumaturges can teleport via wind manipulation, and Occultists can merge with shadow and jump to another. These are... not the same." Neither of which she could utilize. And like he said: not powered by magical energy. So she couldn't quite wrap her head around it.

She stayed close just in case he stumbled again, looking down to his hand as it was offered, and then slowly reaching out to take it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad with support. "Whenever you are ready."

[redprayer]

They’ve discussed magic enough by now that Rezo recognizes the terms she uses and her way of classifying magic, though it still sounds strange to his ears. Teleportation in his world is also mostly related to astral magic- if this were a better time perhaps they could discuss the various nuances with each other but alas, he puts the thought away as she takes his hand.

His fingers curl gently around hers.

“I shall be with you every step of the way,” he says, with a solemnity which perhaps isn’t warranted for such a little situation. He turns, pulling her along with him.

In they go-

-and out into Sleeper Car One, although Lior’s the one who will be able to immediately tell. They’ll need to head the car on the left to reach Rezo’s cabin, but they’ve certainly shortened the trip by a considerable amount.

As soon as they’re through, Rezo will give Lioriley’s hand a squeeze. “Are you still in one piece?”

[invigorates]

Maybe it was a bit dramatic for something so minor, but it still helped. Her anxiety didn't dissipate entirely, but she felt safer while holding his hand, and stepped through the gate with only a split second of hesitation.

"Yes." She said softly, returning the squeeze with one of her own, hand clasp tight to his in the hope he would let her hold onto him for the rest of their short trip. "Thank you."

It took her far longer than it should have to tear her gaze away from Rezo and toward the sleeper car; recalling the cabin number she had been given and gently tugging him in that direction. "Almost there."

[redprayer]

“You’re welcome.”

Rezo waits patiently for her to pull herself together, and lets her lead him by the hand.

It’s not as if anyone’s likely to pay them any attention. Or, if they do, they’re not going to think anything of Lioriley helping a blind, exhausted man get about. Especially when it’s such a short trip to his cabin from the transgate; as soon as they enter the next carriage, his room is behind the second door on their right.

Rezo slips his hand out of Lioriley’s then, and pulls the lanyard holding his ticket out from under his hoodie. He swipes it against the name screen by the door, and the door slides open with a soft sound.

Bed beckons, but Rezo finds himself standing around like a lummox instead. He should say… something?

He clears his throat. “Well,” he says, “Goodnight.”

[invigorates]

She reluctantly retracted her hand, moving both to idly fiddle with her braid; not entirely certain if she should just leave now that they arrived at his cabin, or if she should wait to see if he actually said or did anything. For a few seconds, she thought he might just go inside and leave it at that. And she actually startled a bit when he cleared his throat.

"Goodnight." She replied, just a little too quickly, a smile curving the corners of her mouth up. "I will see you soon, I hope. Take care." and off she would go, if he had nothing more to say.

[redprayer]

Rezo alas, does not. He gives a quick nod and smile in her direction- unsure if she’s even still facing him to see it- and retreats into his cabin, the door sliding shut behind him.

Now alone, he folds himself up enough to collapse into his cot, with the air of a stuffed animal carelessly tossed into a corner. It’s only been one day, but it feels as though it’s been several years.

His sudden depletion and the particular bone-deep exhaustion it induced. The voidstorms and the beings that emerged from them. Lioriley, her light touches and her tears. The conversation they’d had in the dining hall, the things he’d told her- and the things he hasn’t told her. The things Zelgadis knows, but who else aboard the train does? Clearly not Lioriley since she can still bear to touch him…

He has the sense of a great, tangled mess surrounding him, akin to the spider plants they’d struggled with, back in what feels like a lifetime ago. The train and its missions have completely thrown off the problem of Shabranigdu, which he’d thought resolved, and induced complications he’s still figuring out; Lioriley is proving to be a complicating force in her own right.

He’s too tired not to sleep, but his rest is going to be an anxious one.